30+ Cozy Period Dramas to Watch This Winter - All Clean and Wholesome!
‘Tis the season to watch period dramas!
Winter is when I find myself reaching for the coziest, most comforting period dramas, so I’ve put together a list of my favorite 30+ historical movies and miniseries with wintery scenes and cozy stories to share with you!
These selections aren’t just beautiful to watch; I love that they also provide educational history, making them a wonderful option for homeschool supplementation during the colder months. I have included age recommendations with each movie, and have also linked parental guides to help you make informed decisions for your family.
For the bulk of this list, I have focused on movies without “Christmas” in the title, making these relevant for all winter long. However, at the end of the list, I have included a few you may wish to try that aren’t too “Christmassy” or cheesy.
If you love this list, please be sure to check out my lists of Historical Movies for Families (featuring 90+ period dramas for preteens and teens!), and my Early American History Movies for Kids posts (enrich history for your students with dozens of family-friendly historical movies!).
And don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll be the first to know when new posts are published (email form is located at the bottom of the page).
Be sure to say hello in the comments, and tell me some of your favorite period dramas for cozy wintertime viewing! 🩵
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All Creatures Great and Small 1978-1990 (7 seasons) | TV-PG
A young Yorkshire veterinarian settles into the quirky, heartwarming rhythms of country life with the help of the eccentric Farnon brothers, making it a wonderfully cozy series to watch on winter evenings. Based on the books by James Herriot. Recommended for ages 12+. CONTENT GUIDE: IMDb
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video (with Britbox add-on subscription)
All Creatures Great and Small 2020-Ongoing (6 seasons so far) | TV-PG
In 1930s Yorkshire, James Herriot starts his veterinary practice, discovering the humor, heartbreak, and unexpected friendships that come with caring for animals and the quirky people of the countryside. Recommended for ages 10+. CONTENT GUIDE: IMDb and Common Sense Media
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Samantha: An American Girl Holiday 2004 | Not Rated
In 1904, Samantha Parkington befriends Nellie, a girl from a very different background whose family has come to work for Samantha’s neighbors, and together they navigate challenges, adventures, and growing bonds during the holiday season. Recommended for ages 7+. CONTENT GUIDE: IMDb and Common Sense Media
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Molly: An American Girl on the Home Front 2006 | Not Rated
In 1943 Illinois, nine-year-old Molly McIntire struggles to adjust when her father leaves for military service and her mother joins the wartime effort at a defense plant. As Molly copes with rationing, air-raid drills, and the arrival of Emily, a young British refugee, she learns resilience and compassion. Recommended for ages 7+. CONTENT GUIDE: Common Sense Media
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Cranford 2007 | TV-PG
Set in a small English town in the early 1840s, Cranford centers on the lives of its genteel, mostly single or widowed women - like the Jenkyns sisters Matty and Deborah - whose peaceful village is stirred by the arrival of a progressive young doctor and a building of a railway. Recommended for ages 12+. CONTENT GUIDE: IMDb
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
REturn to Cranford 2009 | TV-PG
Return to Cranford continues the story of Miss Matty Jenkyns and the town’s other residents as they navigate financial troubles, family changes, and new romances that test the bonds of their close-knit community. Stars Judi Dench, Tom Hiddleston, and Imelda Staunton. Recommended for ages 12+. CONTENT GUIDE: I was unable to find a content guide to share with you, but I have very few concerns with this sweet miniseries! There is romance (brief kissing), some violence and intense scenes (there is a serious train crash), and no language that I recall.
📺 Available to watch on Britbox
North and SOuth 2004 | TV-PG
Set during the Industrial Revolution in 19th-century England, North and South follows Margaret Hale as she moves from rural southern England to the industrial town of Milton, navigating her growing feelings for mill owner John Thornton amid social tensions and labor unrest. Recommended for ages 12+. CONTENT GUIDE: IMDb
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Road to Avonlea 1990-1996 (7 seasons) | TV-PG
Road to Avonlea (7 seasons) 1990 | PG | Available to watch on DVD and Gazebo TV
Set in early 1900s Prince Edward Island, Road to Avonlea is a wholesome, family-friendly series that follows Sara Stanley and her friends as they grow up in a close-knit Edwardian village. Recommended for ages 7+. CONTENT GUIDE: Common Sense Media
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video, also available on Gazebo TV
Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates 1962 | G
Set in 19th-century Holland, this classic family film follows Hans Brinker and his sister Gretel as they strive to win a local ice-skating race to help their impoverished family and restore their father’s health. Suitable for most ages. CONTENT GUIDE: I have very few content concerns for young children, it is a very gentle film on the whole. There is a scene in the beginning during a storm when the father and son go outdoors and the father is badly injured. It isn't remotely graphic. The father loses his memory and ability to speak, but eventually a doctor helps him and his health is restored in the end. I loved how kind the siblings were to each other (not even a little bickering) and how respectful they were to their mother. The eldest son and daughter are excellent role models. No language, though some people call the father an "idiot" because of his illness.
📺 Click here to watch on my YouTube channel, located on my playlist of “Wholesome Period Dramas You Have Never Seen”
Little Women 1949 | Not Rated
This classic adaptation follows sisters Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy March as they grow up in Civil War–era New England, facing love, loss, and family responsibilities while remaining bound by their devotion to one another. It stars June Allyson as Jo, Margaret O’Brien as Beth, Elizabeth Taylor as Amy, and Janet Leigh as Meg. Suitable for most ages. CONTENT GUIDE: Common Sense Media
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Little Women 1994 | PG
Set in 1860s Massachusetts (during the Civil War), this cherished adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s novel follows Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy as they navigate growing up, chasing dreams, and enduring heartache. Suitable for most ages. CONTENT GUIDE: Dove (approved for all ages) and Kids-in-Mind
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Little Women 2017 | TV-PG
Set during the American Civil War, this beautiful adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s novel follows the four March sisters as they face the challenges of growing up while remaining close-knit and supportive of one another. Suitable for most ages. CONTENT GUIDE: IMDb and Common Sense Media
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Little Women 2019 | PG
This most recent adaptation of Little Women directed by Greta Gerwig, stars Saoirse Ronan as Jo, Emma Watson as Meg, Eliza Scanlen as Beth, and Florence Pugh as Amy. While not the most faithful of adaptations, it is still an excellent film and perfect for cozy winter nights. Suitable for most ages. CONTENT GUIDE: Kids-in-Mind and Plugged In
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Under the Greenwood Tree 2005 | PG
A village schoolteacher, Fancy Day, finds herself courted by three very different suitors - a wealthy farmer, a clergyman, and the kind-hearted Dick Dewy - as love, rivalry, and tradition intertwine in their small Victorian-era Dorset community. Recommended for ages 12+. CONTENT GUIDE: IMDb
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Miss Potter 2006 | PG
Beatrix Potter, a shy yet determined Victorian author and illustrator, fights for her independence while finding unexpected love with her publisher Norman Warne and creating the beloved stories that would make her a household name. Suitable for most ages. CONTENT GUIDE: Dove
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Pride and Prejudice 1995 | TV-PG
The five Bennet sisters - Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia - deal with the challenges of love, family tensions, and financial uncertainty in Regency England. As Elizabeth clashes with the proud Mr. Darcy and navigates the charming but deceitful Mr. Wickham, misunderstandings, family scandals, and romantic entanglements unfold, ultimately leading to love, reconciliation, and a clearer understanding of character and virtue. Recommended for ages 12+. CONTENT GUIDE: IMDb
📺 Available to watch on BYU TV, Tubi, Roku, and more
Emma 2009 | TV-PG
In this BBC adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel, clever but meddling Emma Woodhouse (played by Romola Garai) busies herself matchmaking for her friends while misreading her own feelings for the level-headed Mr. Knightley, portrayed by Jonny Lee Miller. You’ll love the scene portraying Mr. Elton’s hilariously misguided Christmas Eve marriage proposal to Emma in a freezing carriage! Recommended for ages 8+. CONTENT GUIDE: Common Sense Media
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
Persuasion 1995 | PG
Based on Jane Austen’s final completed novel, this lovely period drama follows the quiet and thoughtful Anne Elliot, who is given a second chance at love when Captain Frederick Wentworth returns after years at sea. Set in early 19th-century England. Recommended for ages 10+. CONTENT GUIDE: Christian Answers and Common Sense Media
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Lark Rise to Candleford 2008 (4 seasons) | TV-PG
Set in the late 19th century, Lark Rise to Candleford follows young Laura Timmins as she leaves her humble hamlet for a job at the Candleford post office, where she builds new friendships, navigates small-town dramas, and finds her place between two very different worlds. Recommended for ages 12+. CONTENT GUIDE: IMDb (not mentioned in the linked content guide: there is a storyline involving a friendship between a married man and a woman who is not his wife, bordering on adultery. Everything does work out, and the characters realize that their close relationship is wrong, and repent.
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe 2005 | PG
Four siblings discover the magical world of Narnia through a wardrobe and join the noble lion Aslan in a battle to free the land from the icy tyranny of the White Witch. Recommended for ages 12+. CONTENT GUIDE: Dove
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Lassie 2005 | PG
Young Joe Carraclough is heartbroken when his beloved collie, Lassie, is sold due to his family’s poverty in 1930s England. Lassie's unwavering determination to return to Joe leads her on a courageous journey filled with love, loyalty, and adventure. Don’t dismiss this one because you think it’ll be cheesy! It is actually quite excellent, and boasts a fantastic cast (Peter O’Toole, Kelly Macdonald, Peter Dinklage, John Lynch, and Samantha Morton). Recommended for ages 8+. CONTENT GUIDE: Kids-in-Mind
📺 Click here to watch on YouTube, located in my Winter Playlist
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers 1954 | G
Set in 1850s Oregon, this lively musical follows rugged frontiersman Adam Pontipee and his new wife Milly, who soon discovers she must tame and teach his six rowdy brothers proper manners and courtship - leading to romance, rivalry, and chaos. Suitable for most ages. CONTENT GUIDE: Common Sense Media
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Little Men 1998 | PG
Jo and Professor Bhaer open their home to a lively group of boys, each with their own struggles and dreams. Filled with humor, warmth, and touching life lessons, this adaptation is based on Louisa May Alcott’s sequel to Little Women. Set in 1871. I recommend for ages 10+. CONTENT GUIDE: IMDb
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Sarah, Plain and Tall: Winters End 1999 | Not Rated
In this final chapter of the Witting family story (click here to read about Sarah, Plain and Tall and Skylark - you will have to scroll down a bit), Jacob’s estranged father returns during a harsh early-1900s winter, forcing Sarah, Jacob, Anna, and Caleb to confront long-buried wounds and rediscover forgiveness as they struggle to hold their family together. Suitable for ages 8+. CONTENT GUIDE: Dove
📺 This one may be difficult to find to stream, but it may be on YouTube, and possibly on DVD at your library.
Love Comes Softly 2003 | PG
After her husband dies suddenly on the frontier, Marty Claridge enters a marriage of convenience with widower Clark Davis, and over the course of a difficult prairie winter, the two slowly form a genuine bond that reshapes both their lives. Recommended for ages 7+. CONTENT GUIDE: IMDb
📺 This one may be difficult to find to stream, but it may be on YouTube, and possibly on DVD at your library.
Murder on the Orient Express 2017 | PG-13
When a passenger is found murdered aboard the luxurious Orient Express, detective Hercule Poirot must solve the case while the train lies stranded in the winter snow, uncovering a tangle of hidden motives and tightly guarded secrets. I recommend for ages 15+. CONTENT GUIDE: Common Sense Media
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
A Little Princess 1995 | G
During World War I, young Sara Crewe is sent to a New York boarding school where she lives like a little princess until her father is reported dead and she’s forced into servitude. Holding fast to her imagination and kindness, Sara transforms hardship into hope and ultimately reunites with her beloved father. Recommended for ages 12+. CONTENT GUIDE: Dove
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
A Little Princess 1987 | TV-G
This is a faithful adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s children’s novel about Sara Crewe, who’s world is turned upside down when her father passes away, leaving her to face life in a strict and unforgiving boarding school. The miniseries beautifully captures Sara's strength of character and imagination as she navigates hardship with grace and compassion. Takes place in Victorian London, around the 1880s. Recommended for ages 7+. CONTENT GUIDE: No content concerns, apart from what is depicted in the book (the headmistress of the boarding school mistreats Sara terribly after Sara’s father’s death, etc) this is simply a wholesome and endearing presentation of a beloved classic.
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Amazing Grace 2006 | PG
This film tells the story of British politician William Wilberforce, who leads the decades-long fight in Parliament to abolish the slave trade in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Supported by allies such as William Pitt, Thomas Clarkson, Hannah More, Olaudah Equiano, and former slave ship captain John Newton, Wilberforce perseveres against fierce political opposition to achieve one of history’s greatest humanitarian victories. Recommended for ages 12+. CONTENT GUIDE: Dove
📺 This one may be currently difficult to find to stream, but it may be on Apple TV and YouTube, and likely on DVD at your library.
Florence Nightingale 1985 | TV-PG
Set in the mid-1800s, this film follows the true story of a determined young woman, Florence Nightingale, who defies Victorian society’s expectations to become a nurse. During the Crimean War, she travels to the front lines, where she fights to improve the horrifying conditions of military hospitals and revolutionizes patient care. Through perseverance and compassion, Florence earns the respect of soldiers and changes the future of nursing. Recommended for ages 12+. CONTENT GUIDE: Dove
📺 Available to watch on Roku
The Magic of Ordinary Days 2005 | TV-PG
Set during World War II, a pregnant young woman is sent to rural Colorado for a marriage of convenience with lonely farmer Ray Singleton, and as they navigate hardship, secrets, and the realities of wartime life, an unexpected and tender bond begins to grow between them. Suitable for most ages. CONTENT GUIDE: IMDb
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Here begins the list of Christmassy Period Dramas
There’s a special kind of comfort in watching candlelit rooms, wintery landscapes, and gentle stories during Christmastime.
That said, while many of these titles feature “Christmas,” the films themselves often contain only touches of the holiday. So even if you’re not looking for full-on Christmas films, these period dramas may still be a lovely fit. I hope this list brings you something delightful to watch!
The Man Who Invented Christmas 2017 | Pg
Author Charles Dickens faces writer’s block and financial hardship while trying to write A Christmas Carol, and draws inspiration from the people around him to bring Ebenezer Scrooge and his timeless tale to life. Recommended for ages 8+. CONTENT GUIDE: Dove
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
I Heard the Bells 2022 | Not Rated
In 1860s America, poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow grapples with personal tragedy and the turmoil of the Civil War until the Christmas bells rekindle his hope and inspire the beloved carol “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” Recommended for ages 12+. CONTENT GUIDE: Dove
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
An Old Fashioned Christmas 2010 | TV-G
In this 1912-set drama, wealthy grandmother Isabella takes her granddaughter Tilly to Ireland for Christmas, hoping to advance Tilly’s writing career - with romance, family secrets, and unexpected loyalties emerging amid the snowy holiday backdrop. Suitable for most ages. CONTENT GUIDE: Old-Fashioned Charm Blog (you will need to scroll down to the bottom to the “My Recommendations” paragraph). An additional potential concern that parents may wish to be aware of is that Lord Byron (the prominent - and thoroughly unprincipled - English poet of the early 1800s) is frequently quoted - nothing untoward or improper is quoted, but I thought it best to give a heads-up!
📺 Click here to watch on YouTube, located on my Winter Playlist
Christmas Oranges 2012 | PG
An abused orphan named Rose is sent to a strict 1905 Utah orphanage where small acts of kindness and the gift of a single Christmas orange slowly bring healing, hope, and the discovery of her own worth. Suitable for most ages. CONTENT GUIDE: IMDb
📺 Available to watch on YouTube, Tubi, BYU TV, and more.
Young Pioneers Christmas 1976 | NR
Set during the harsh winter on the 1870s American frontier, the Young Pioneers face hardship and loss yet eventually find comfort and hope during their first winter together as a family. This is the sequel to Young Pioneers (1976) - a very sweet period drama based on a book by Rose Wilder Lane, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s daughter. Young Pioneers Christmas is suitable for most ages. CONTENT GUIDE: Dove
📺 Click here to watch on YouTube, located in my Winter Playlist
The Christmas Candle 2013 | PG
David Richmond, a young minister, arrives in the English village of Gladbury and becomes entangled in the townspeople’s long-held belief that a miraculous candle grants a single Christmas prayer, forcing him to navigate doubt, faith, and a community longing for hope. Stars Lesley Manville (of Cranford and North and South) and Samantha Barks (of Les Misérables). Based on the book by Max Lucado, and is recommended for ages 8+. CONTENT GUIDE: Raising Children
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video. Also available to watch on Tubi, BYUtv, Roku, and more.
Christmas in Connecticut 1945 | Not Rated
Magazine columnist Elizabeth Lane - who has built her career pretending to be the perfect homemaker - scrambles to maintain the ruse when her boss invites a war hero to her (nonexistent) Connecticut farm for a traditional Christmas holiday. Suitable for most ages. CONTENT GUIDE: IMDb
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
The Muppet Christmas Carol 1992 | G
Ebenezer Scrooge is confronted by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come - played alongside the Muppets - as he’s led through memories, warnings, and visions that push him toward redemption on Christmas Eve. This version is often regarded as the most cherished retelling of Dickens’ timeless story. Recommended for ages 6+. CONTENT GUIDE: Raising Children
📺 Click here to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Victorian Farm: Christmas 2010 | E (UK’s Equivalant to US’s “G” Rating)
In this special holiday episode of Victorian Farm, historians Ruth Goodman, Peter Ginn, and Alex Langlands recreate how a Victorian family celebrated Christmas, from traditional decorations and festive recipes to period gift-giving and seasonal customs on their working farm. If you haven’t been introduced to the Farm series yet (Victorian Farm, Edwardian Farm, Wartime Farm, Edwardian Farm, Tudor Monastery Farm, and Secrets of the Castle - you are in for a wonderful treat!). Victorian Farm: Christmas is suitable for most ages.
📺 Available to watch on Tubi.
Thank you for reading!
I hope you enjoy these wintery, wholesome period dramas as much as I do. Happy watching - and stay warm! ❄️
Before you go, please let me know in the comments which ones are your favorites, and don’t forget to check out my list of 50+ Clean Period Dramas for Teen Girls!
Also, be sure to join The Wholesome Period Dramas Society Facebook group to participate in our weekly Friday night Watch Parties!
